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Archiver > RHEA > 1997-08 > 0871997552


From: <>
Subject: Fwd: The Five Ships
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 09:32:32 -0400 (EDT)


Thought this looked interesting for both of these discussion lists.

Pat
---------------------
Forwarded message:
From: (linda Merle)
Reply-to:
To:
Date: 97-08-19 06:22:42 EDT

Hi, the history of the settling of Londonderry NH and the five
ships is documented in Hanna "The Scotch Irish". I suspect the
one ship got "rerouted" because the puritans didn't want any more
Irish. Reading about the reception these people received caused
me to want to riot.

Here's a brief summary:
Hanna, Vol II, pp 16-17: Rev William Boyd of Maclasky was sent in
1718 to Mass. to prepare for emigration. People were eager to leave
due to high rents and the collapse of the linen trade from
Coleraine. 319 people who signed papers to allow Rev. Boyd
to act as their agents are described in Parker's History of
Londonderry, New Hampshire. 9 were ministers, 3 others were
graduates of the Univ. of Scotland, all wrote their names but
7. "A number had been among the defenders of Londonderry
in 1689 and these with their heirs were freed by act of
Parliament from taxation in British provinces. Later, in America,
their descendents occupied what were known until the Revolution
as 'exempt farms'." they came from the Bann valley -- mostly
on the Antrim side: Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballymena, Ballywatick,
and Kilrea. Besides the Rev. Boyd who was probably from
Macosquin, was the Rev. James MacGregor, who left with a portion
of his congregation from Aghadowey.

They set off in five ships, reaching Boston Aug 4, 1718. They were
identified there as "a parcel of Irish". Six to 8 hundred persons.
Once there they suffered persecution from the Puritans. 2-300
went to Maine, where they froze to death (terrible place!), so they
had the good sense to move to New Hampshire, others went directly
there. During the half century preceding the Revolution, they formed
10 settlements, all of which became influential in New Hampshire.
Also settled from these people were two townships in Vermont,
Allen, Northampton CO in PA, and two towns in Nova Scotia in
Colchester Co.

Linda Merle

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